Life-boat.



A. L. SEWBLL.

LIFE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG..29, 1914. 1 1 24,341. Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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A. L. SEWELL.

LIFE BOAT.

APPLIQATION IILTD AUG. 29, 1914.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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ALBERT L. SEWELL, OF LAMAR, MISSOURI.

LIFE-BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

Application filed August 29, 1914. Serial No. 859,180.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. SEWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lamar, in the county of Barton and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Boats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in life boats and has for its primary object to provide a boat of this character which will be of simple and cheap construction as well as highly efiicient in use and capable of floating for an indefinite period.

The invention has for another object to provide a life boat of this character including'a body and a float compartment above said body with an exit pipe and air inlet pipes extending through said float compartment with an adjustable ladder within said exit pipe.

The invention has for a further object to provide a life boat which will be constructed in such manner that float compartment may be air tight to prevent the escape of the compressed fluid within the same while the body of the boat is also provided with doors through which parties may enter the life boat, the doors being constructed in such manner that an air tight connection and water tight connection will be formed between the edges thereof and the door opening in the body of the boat.

The invention has for a still further object to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of boats of this character and increase the efficiency and durability thereof without materially increasing the cost of the same.

with these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Figure 1- is a longitudinal section through the complete'device, Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the greater portion of the exit pipe in elevation, and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the plane of line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 designates a body of the life boat in which are positioned the longitudinally extending feet 2 on opposite sides of the body and in the sides of which are formed door openings 3 adapted to be closed by the doors 4 opening inwardly and hinged along one edge, as shown at 5 while the bolt 6 or other suitable fastening members are carried by the opposite edges of said doors to lock the latter in closed position, water being prevented from entering the body 1 by means of the packing strip 7 positioned around the reduced portion of the doors 4, and engaging the edges of the door openings 3, as will be readily understood by referring to the drawings.

The upper inclined portion of the side or longitudinal walls of the body 1 are provided with sight openings 8 within each of which is positioned a suitable lens 9 formed of any suitable transparent material and having reduced edges 10 secured in suitable channels 11 in the edges of the openings 8. The upper edges of the inclined sides of the body 1 are turned outwardly, as shown at 12 and secured to the outer face of a float compartment 13 positioned upon the body 1 and adapted to contain any suitable compressed fluid such as air to prevent the boat from sinking. The float compartment 13 may be formed of any suitable material and is preferably of cylindrical form with its opposite ends closed and is reinforced by the curved transversereinforcing ribs 1 1 which have their opposite ends secured to the side of the body 1. The inclined portions of the longitudinal sides of the body 1 are reinforced by suitable reinforcing strips 15 bolted or otherwise secured upon the outer face of said side.

It will be understood that air may be supplied to the interior of. the body 1 by means of the air supply pipes 16 which depend through the float compartment 13 and into the body 1, suitable packing 17 being placed around the pipes 16 at the points at which they extend through the upper and lower portions of the float compartment 13 to form an air and Water tight joint around said pipes. It will be further understoo'd that each pipe 16 is provided with a longitudinal partition 18, whereby air may travel downwardly in said pipe 16 by way of one of the air conducting passages 19 while the foul air from within the body 1 escapes by way of the remaining air passage 19 formed by the partition 18. The upper end of each pipe 16 is adapted to be closed by a door 20 hinged to the upper edge of said pipe 16 and resting in the door opening 21 formed by cutting away the inner portion of the pipe 16 at the upper end thereof, said door 20 being adapted to be opened and closed by means of the longitudinally movable rack bar 22' connected therewith and extending downwardly in one of the air passages '19 and having a pinion 23 engaged with the teeth of said rack bar and 'mounted for rotation with shaft 2& extended transversely through the lower portion of the pipe 16, said shaft 24 having a suitable crank 25 by means of which it may be rotated to raise or lower the rack bar 22 and thereby open or close the door 20. Each door 20 is snugly engaged in the upper end of the pipe 16 by which it is carried to seal the upper end of said pipe and thereby prevent air or water from entering the same when the door is in closed position. When the doors '20 are open the suction fan 26 within one air passage 19 of each pipe 16 is rotated to create a suction and thereby draw fresh 'air into the body 1, said suction fan 26 being operated in any suitable manner such as by an electric motor 27 connected with a battery 28. It will be understood, however, that the suction fan 26 may be operated in any suitable manner. It will also be understood that the pipes 16 are preferably positioned adjacent the opposite ends of the boat, as shown in Fig. 1.

As the body 1 and part of the float conipartment 13 are below the Water level when the boat is in use, I have provided a large exit tube 29, by means of which the occupants of the boat may leave the same, said exit tube 29 extending vertically through the float compartment 13 and having a door 30 for closing the upper end thereof, said door being hinged along one edge, as shown at 31 and having a packing ring 32 engaged around its reduced portion for engagement I against the stop shoulder 33 formed in the reduced upper end of said exit tube 29. It will be understood that a suitable ladder 34: or the like is extended longitudinally in the exit tube 29, whereby the parties in the life boat may readily ascend the same and open the door 30 when leaving the boat.

A suitable water and air tight connection is formed between the tube 29 and the portions of the float compartment through which said tube 29 extends, as shown at 35 While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and illustrated, it will be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed or "sacrificing "any of the advaiita es thereof.

Whatis claimed z 1. A device of the class described comprising *a boat body including sides having their free edges directed outwardly, a float compartment secured "upon said free edges of the sides of the body, said body having doors in its sides,- an exit tube extending through the float compartment, means for closingsaid exit tube, and air inlet tubes for said body extending through said float compartment.

2. A device of the class described comprising a boat body, a float compartment secured upon said body, fresh air tubes extended through said float compartment and into the body, said' tubes being divided into air inlet and air outlet passages, a door for each tube, means extending longitudinally in said tube for opening and closing the doors, means for operating the last mentioned means,- air-and water tight connections between said tubes and said float compartment, means for drawing air into the body through said tubes, an exit tube extended through said float compartment and into said body, and a door for said exit tube.

A life boat including a body having the upper portions of its sides inclined inwardly and extended outwardly at their free edges, a float compartment above said body secured upon the edges of said sides, said body having sight openings, an entrance opening, means for closing said entrance opening, an exit tube for said boat projecting into said body, transparent members in said sight openings, said sight openings having reduced channels formed in their edges, said "trans arent members having reduced edges secured in said channels, and means for conducting air to said body.

In testimony whereof I a'fiix my signature in presence o-f 'two witnesses.

ALBERT L. SEWELL.

Witnesses A. Henson, '0. WV. LONGBRAKE.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained =forfive' cents each. by addressing thec'omm-issioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

